What Does A Public Relations Do

Public relations specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent. They design media releases to shape public perception of their organization and to increase awareness of its work and goals.

Duties

Public relations specialists typically do the following:

Write press releases and prepare information for the media

Respond to information requests from the media

Help clients communicate effectively with the public

Help maintain their organization's corporate image and identity

Draft speeches and arrange interviews for an organization’s top executives

Evaluate advertising and promotion programs to determine whether they are compatible with their organization’s public relations efforts

Evaluate public opinion of clients through social media

Public relations specialists, also called communications specialists and media specialists, handle an organization’s communication with the public, including consumers, investors, reporters, and other media specialists. In government, public relations specialists may be called press secretaries. In this setting, workers keep the public informed about the activities of government officials and agencies.

Public relations specialists draft press releases and contact people in the media who might print or broadcast their material. Many radio or television special reports, newspaper stories, and magazine articles start at the desks of public relations specialists. For example, a press release might describe a public issue, such as health, energy, or the environment, and what an organization does concerning that issue.

Press releases are increasingly being sent through the Internet and social media, in addition to publication through traditional media outlets. Public relations specialists are often in charge of monitoring and responding to social media questions and concerns.

Public relations specialists are different from advertisers in that they get their stories covered by media instead of purchasing ad space in publications and on television.

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How To Become A Public Relations

Public relations specialists typically need a bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, communications, English, or business. Through such programs, students produce a portfolio of work that demonstrates their ability to prospective employers.

Training

Entry-level workers typically begin by maintaining files of material about an organization’s activities, skimming and retaining relevant media articles, and assembling information for speeches and pamphlets. After gaining experience, public relations specialists begin to write news releases, speeches, articles for publication, or carry out public relations programs.

Other Experience

Internships at public relations firms or in the public relations departments of other businesses can be helpful in getting a job as a public relations specialist.

Some employers prefer candidates that have experience communicating with others through a school newspaper or a leadership position in school or in their community.

Important Qualities

Interpersonal skills. Public relations specialists deal with the public and the media regularly; therefore, they must be open and friendly to maintain a favorable image for their organization.

Organizational skills. Public relations specialists are often in charge of managing several events at the same time, requiring superior organizational skills.

Problem-solving skills. Public relations specialists sometimes must explain how a company or client is handling sensitive issues. They must use good judgment in what they report and how they report it.

Speaking skills. Public relations specialists regularly speak on behalf of their organization. When doing so, they must be able to clearly explain the organization’s position.

Writing skills. Public relations specialists must be able to write well-organized and clear press releases and speeches. They must be able to grasp the key messages they want to get across and write them in a short, succinct way to get the attention of busy readers or listeners.

The national average salary for a Public Relations in the United States is $41,944 per year or $20 per hour. Those in the bottom 10 percent make under $27,000 a year, and the top 10 percent make over $65,000.

Real Public Relations Salaries

Job Title

Company

Location

Start Date

Salary

International Public Relations

Venetian Casino Resort, LLC

Las Vegas, NV

Sep 29, 2009

$139,880

Public Relations

Aleatoric Media Group Inc.

Magnolia, TX

May 14, 2016

$120,000

Public Relations

Ameriplus, Inc.

Clearwater, FL

Sep 17, 2012

$115,960

Public Relations

Ameriplus, Inc.

Clearwater, FL

Sep 12, 2012

$115,960

Public Relations/Communications/Media-Latin America

Medtronic, Inc.

Miami, FL

Dec 15, 2016

$95,000

Marketing and PR

Perpetual Artist Co.

Miami, FL

Oct 01, 2011

$92,558

Marketing & Public Relations Co-Ordinator

Medical Imaging Center of Southern California

Santa Monica, CA

Apr 13, 2015

$92,061

Public Relations

Lourenco DDS, Inc.

Westminster, CA

Sep 15, 2015

$73,045

Public Relations & Communications Spec (Community Advocate)

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

San Francisco, CA

Jun 06, 2016

$64,646 -$72,000

Global Public Relations and Communications Special

Versation Inc.

Portland, OR

Jul 05, 2010

$63,000

Treskoi Public Relations

Treskoi Public Relations

Miami, FL

Sep 15, 2012

$62,000

International Business Affairs and Public Relation

Stephens Institute

San Francisco, CA

Sep 25, 2012

$60,000

Public Relations and Marketing

One Beat LLC

New York, NY

Sep 30, 2012

$60,000

Event/Public Relations Co-Ordinator

Braga Productions

CA

Feb 01, 2010

$59,292

Internal Communication & Public Relations Speciali

L. A. Care Health Plan

Los Angeles, CA

Jun 01, 2011

$54,000

Public Relations

WPS, Inc.

Los Angeles, CA

May 20, 2011

$52,603

Public Relations Sepcialist

Elila, LLC

New York, NY

Oct 01, 2012

$52,175

Public Relations Special

Goldstein & Associates, LLC

Pittsburgh, PA

Apr 07, 2009

$51,834

Corporate Communication and Public Relations Manag

Secure Ip Telecom, Inc.

Los Angeles, CA

Mar 01, 2013

$50,960

Public Relations Sepcialist

Cooler Master USA, Inc.

Fremont, CA

Dec 03, 2009

$48,000

Public Relations

WPS, Inc.

Los Angeles, CA

Feb 28, 2012

$48,000

Pr/User Acquisition

Saybubble, Inc.

San Francisco, CA

Sep 16, 2015

$47,341

Corporate/Public Relations & Communications Coordi

121 W. 45 St. Restaurant Corp.

New York, NY

Oct 31, 2010

$42,000

International Marketing & Public Relations Special

Sisley Americas Services, Inc.

Miami, FL

Sep 18, 2014

$42,000

Public Relations Specialst

Two Twelve Management and Marketing

New York, NY

Jun 15, 2011

$41,850

In House Public Relations

The Monocle Order

New York, NY

Jul 10, 2013

$41,371

International Public Relations & Marketing Special

Goldstein Communications, Ltd.

New York, NY

Sep 19, 2013

$41,371

Public Relations

Grinnell Designs Ltd.

New York, NY

Oct 01, 2010

$41,156

Public Relations

Grinnell Designs Ltd.

New York, NY

Sep 24, 2010

$41,156 -$20

Public Relations Specialis

Sterling Communications, Inc.

Los Gatos, CA

Sep 01, 2014

$41,000 -$60,000

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Public Relations Resume Examples And Tips

The average resume reviewer spends between 5 to 7 seconds looking at a single resume, which leaves the average job applier with roughly six seconds to make a killer first impression. Thanks to this, a single typo or error on your resume can disqualify you right out of the gate.
At Zippia, we went through over 11,644 Public Relations resumes and compiled some information about how best to optimize them. Here are some suggestions based on what we found, divided by the individual sections of the resume itself.